Portable shelter for motor vehicles



Feb. 16, 1943. o. BRAMBLETT PORTABLE-SHELTER FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed May l2, 1942 Patented Feb. 16, 1943 UNITED STATES QFFICE-Y 4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to sheltering or covering devices designed for quick application to and removal from a structure which is to be protected from the weather, and pertains particularly to a movable or readily portable garage structure for housing a motor vehicle, more especially a tractor.

Farm implements, such as tractors and other machines, must of necessity remain out of doors in all kinds of weather, and it is a particular object of the present invention to provide a movable or portable shelter for such machines which is designed in such manner that it may be readily placed in position over the machine and, when certain portions are drawn together and secured, form an entirely closed structure which completely houses the machine so that it will be effectively sheltered from the weather.

Another object of the invention is to provide a readily transportable shelter device, formed preferably of canvas or similar woven material and in a single unit, the shelter device having a pattern which makes it possible to draw the material snugly into position around a tractor or other machine for which it is designed so that it will snugly encase the entire machine from the top down to the ground upon which the machine stands.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it being understood, however, that the invention is not to be considered as limited by the specific illustration or description but that such illustration and description constitute a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of the portable shelter structure of the present invention set up or placed in position over a tractor.

Figure 2 is a view in end elevation of the structure.

Figure 3 is a plan or blank view of the shelter structure fully opened out.

Figure 4 is a detailed view on an enlarged scale of the slide fastener securing means.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it will be seen upon reference to Figure 3 wherein the shelter device of the present invention is shown in blank or opened out, that the device is made in a single piece, preferably from heavy canvas and the entire body of the device is indicated as a whole by the numeral I and comprises the two integrally connected wing portions 2. Each of these wing portions at each end is cut on a curve or circle so as to form the Curved edge 3 and these curved edges converge on the longitudinal center of the body, as shown. and each has attached thereto one of the two portions il of a separable or Zipper fastener, the slide portion of which is indicated at 5.

The central part of the cover which constitutes the top in the device when it is set up and closed about a machine, is formed of material cut with the weave, while the outer portions of the wings are made up of strips of woven material, indicated by the numeral i3, cut on the bias. This bias strip 6 extending along or forming a border piece of each wing 2 forms a bottom edge at each side of the cover structure and at each end the longitudinal free edge is cut slightly obliquely, as indicated at 'I, to cause the bottom edge to maintain a substantial parallel relation with the ground when the ends of the wings are joined together.

As shown, the separable fastener at each end of the shelter device extends only from the convergent ends of the edges 3 partway through the length of these edges. Thus, when the device is placed in position over a tractor, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and the slide 5 is drawn downwardly to join the curved edges 3, such edges will be connected throughout the major extent of their length by such fastener. Below the lower end of the separable fastener there is provided a securing strap 8 which is attached to one end of each wing and which connects with a buckle 9 upon the adjacent end of the other Wing so as to pull together the adjacent ends of the biascut strip portions 6 and cause the same to drag in under the ends and, to some extent, under the sides of the machine.

There is also provided as an auxiliary connecting means between the adjacent ends of the wing portions, the springs I0, each of which is attached at one end to an end of a Wing and has a hook I I upon its other end for connection in a suitable eye or grommet I2 secured in the adjacent end of the other wing.

The slide 5 of each fastener has the usual tongue I3 which, in the present construction, is provided with an eye I4. At the lower end of the slide fastener one wing has attached thereto a support for a staple I4 which, when the slide fastener is closed, extends through the opening I4 of the adjacent tongue I3 and receives a lock I5. By this means, the covering or shield structure may be secured against unauthorized removal from the machine over which it is placed.

In constructing the present device the same will be dimensioned so that when it is in position the free longitudinal edge of each wing will be in close proximity to the ground. Also, when the device is designed for application to a tractor structure, the central or top portion will be provided with a suitable opening covered by an upstanding housing I6 to receive the tractor steering wheel, thus permitting the central top part of the device to lie fiat over the top of the machine. Provision will also be made, for the same purpose, for the extension through the top of the cover device of the exhaust pipe, by providing the opening Il in the top or central part of the canvas body.

In Figures l and 2 a tractor machine is shown in dotted outline and is indicated generally by the character T, While the steering wheel above referred to is indicated at S and the engine exhaust pipe by the character E.

While the drawing illustrates the present device as being formed, for the major part, of a single piece of fabric material, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the use of the number of parts illustrated and described as it is contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention to make `the'device of strips of canvas or other suitable fabric,

'sewn together in a suitable manner and -reinforced along the seams by metallic rivets or other lsuitable reinforcing elements.

I claim:

1. A portable shelter for motor vehicles and vother bodies, comprising a one-piece fabric body adapted to position over the Vehicle and shaped to provide two longitudinally extending wings, each of said wings having a curved end edge, the

edges o-f adjacent ends of the wings converging lat the longitudinal center of the cover body,

means for securing together the adjacent curved wing ends from the convergent ends of the curved edges throughout the major extent thereof, and means for securing together the adjacent ends of the wing portions adjacent to the longitudinal free edges thereof whereby to draw in and shorten the overall length of the fabriclbody adjacent to the longitudinal edges thereof,

2. A vehicle and like structure sheltering device, comprising an elongated fabric body cut at each end to have two centrally converging opposing convexed edges, the edges converging upon the longitudinal center of the body which constitutes the top thereof, a slide fastener means for joining together the adjacent convexed edges throughout the major extent of the length thereof whereby to shape the fabric Abody into a substantially rectangular housing structure, the fabric body including at each side a longitudinally extending body strip of fabric material cut on the bias, and means for drawing together the adjacent ends of the said bias cut strips to shape the lower part of the housing structure about an enclosed structure.

3. A portable shelter structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein said slide fastening device includes an apertured tongue movable longitudinally of the device with the slide element thereof, and a staple secured to one of each of two kadjacent arcuate edges at the lower end of the fastening device for extension through the apertured tongue and to receive a locking element suchas a padlock.

4. A portable shelter as set forth in claim 2, wherein the stated means for drawing together the adjacent ends of the bias cut strips comprises a strap and buckle fastening means.

ORA BRAMBLEIT. 

